‘She was able to recognise all sorts of things we could forage, and make meals from that and stuff from the reduced aisle.’

They say they saw other people eating raw mussels from the river because they were so desperate for something to eat, and that once they were homeless things got worse when their mobile phones ran out of charge.

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This, combined with having no address, meant they were at risk of missing messages from the authorities.

The couple delivered a petition to Theresa May about Universal Credit (Picture: PA)

Today, the couple delivered a petition to Downing Street urging Theresa May to listen to people’s problems with Universal Credit.

They delivered it on behalf of the End Hunger UK campaign – a network that includes Church Action on Poverty, the Church of England, the Trussell Trust, the Independent Food Aid Network and Child Poverty Action Group.

More than 18,000 people have signed it, many of them foodbank users.

Thankfully, the couple have since be rehoused, but are still struggling to cope with their low income.

Sue has recently had surgery on her back, so it still off work, and Tony is still waiting for an assessment of his heart condition.